It is being hailed as a revolution in cars – and it its interior is anything to go by, Tesla’s eagerly awaited Model 3 may live up to the hype.
Instead of a traditional dashboard, it uses a 15 inch touchscreen to control everything from the hidden air vents to the hifi – and well as showing you your speed.
However, until now it has not been known how the system works.
The dashboard lacks all the bells and whistles of every car to come before – it has no speedometer or gauges at all. All the typical features that help drivers navigate the roads have been replaced with a single 15-inch touchscreen display that sits in the center of the dash
The video was recorded by a Tesla fan who visited the firm’s Austin showroom, where the car, believed to be the first shipped outside California, was on display.
‘There’s a lot to learn,’ the customer admits after the tutorial is over.
‘It’s a learning curve for us too,’ the Tesla employee replies.
The dashboard lacks all the bells and whistles of every car to come before – it has no speedometer or gauges at all, and owners never need to use a key – instead relying on their phone.
The screen provides all necessary information – from speed to the car’s battery life – on the single display, which can be controlled easily using two buttons on either side of the steering wheel or the touchscreen itself.
Musk has even taken to Twitter to tell customers ‘You just won’t care’ that there is no traditional dashboard.
Airflow from the discreet vents is aimed by moving spots around on the display, where you can divide the airflow to send it the driver and passenger with a flick of the finger.
‘Model 3 uses two intersecting planes of air for vertical control and lateral fins hidden within the dashboard for horizontal control,’ Musk tweeted.
Owners can also use their hands to adjust the steering to exactly how they want it.
The screen is also used to select what music you want to listen to, and Tesla is even rumoured to be developing its own music service for owners.
Navigation is also controlled from the screen. The left portion show’s the car’s status – for instance, in this shot it reveals all the doors and the front trunk are open.
While the screen is centered between the driver and passenger seats where a radio would typically fixed, one test driver said he ‘didn’t have to turn my head from the windshield’ and noted this will take a while for drivers to adjust to.
Other moving parts have been nixed as well, leading the makers to boast it is ‘virtually maintenance-free.’
THE MODEL 3’S TOUCHSCREEN
The Tesla Model 3 dashboard lacks all the bells and whistles of every car to come before – it has no speedometer or gauges at all and instead boats a single 15-inch touchscreen that controls everything.
It provides all necessary information – from speed to the car’s battery life.
Like Tesla’s other car consoles, it also allows drivers to control everything from the car’s navigation system to its hifi, allowing access to streaming music services.
Even the cars trunk and ‘frunk’ (it’s front trunk) are opened via the interface.
The arrival of the Tesla Model 3 (pictured) has been described as a watershed moment for electric cars, which have long been considered costly, inefficient and impractical
The screen can be controlled easily using two buttons on either side of the steering wheel or the touch pad.
While the screen is centered between the driver and passenger seats where a radio would typically fixed, one test driver said he ‘didn’t have to turn my head from the windshield.’
The car doesn’t have a key – instead it syncs to your phone through a bluetooth connection and automatically unlocks as you approach the vehicle.
There are also two ‘keycards’ supplied, which can be given to valets or parking attendants.
These use NFC similar to a travelcard to unlock the car and start it.
The first test drivers have reached a consensus that it still drives and feels like the initial luxury-priced models.
While this is a compact Tesla, it boasts 15 cubic feet and feels big and roomy, according to reviews.
Musk took to Instagram to show off the Model 3’s minimalist interior, posting this image of the car
Clever design made it happen – the dash is pulled ahead and pressed down, yet the touchscreen is apart from it and set close to your right hand for easy reach.
The premium version – which costs $5,000 more – has better-grade materials, a wood-veneered dash, 12-way front seats, heated rear seats, side-by-side inductive phone chargers, 12-speaker sound and a panoramic glass ceiling.
The screen provides all necessary information – from speed to the car’s battery life – on the single display, which can be controlled easily using two buttons on either side of the steering wheel or the touch pad
Musk founder shared a photo of the car’s interior earlier today on Instagram and Twitter.
The arrival of the Tesla Model 3 has been described as a watershed moment for electric cars, which have long been considered costly, inefficient and impractical.
With a predicted price tag of just £30,000 after government grants, it is comfortably the most affordable Tesla model to come to market.
Just as the Ford Model T brought the internal combustion engine to the masses in 1908, experts predict the Tesla Model 3 will thrust electric cars into the mainstream.
The first 30 models were handed over to customers during a glitzy ceremony at the company’s factory in California last Friday. It came two days after the environment secretary Michael Gove announced a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2040
The first 30 models were handed over to customers during a glitzy ceremony at the company’s factory in California last Friday.
It came two days after England’s environment secretary Michael Gove announced a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2040.
The expectation that other countries will follow suit has sent Tesla’s shares soaring – The company’s market value has now overtaken that of Ford, even though it has never logged a profit.
It has also bloated the personal fortune of billionaire co-founder Elon Musk, the South African-born space pioneer and PayPal founder.
The first 30 models were handed over to customers during a glitzy ceremony at the company’s factory in California last Friday
The new car is expected to arrive in UK showrooms next year.
Musk, 46, told the launch event that he expects to churn out 500,000 Model 3s a year.
He has vowed to radically change the way people drive by taking on well-established car giants with the company’s range of sleek electric vehicles.
He said last week: ‘This is the day we’ve been working towards since the beginning of the company.’
‘If you’re trying to make a difference in the world you have to make cars that people can afford.’
The Tesla Model 3 goes from zero to 60mph in less than six seconds and can cruise for at least 200 miles.
It can be charged from a household plug or from one of Tesla’s roadside charging points.
It has hardware installed which will allow for driverless journeys.
A £40,000 version with a range of 310 miles and even faster acceleration will also be available.
The new car is expected to arrive in UK showrooms next year. Elon Musk, founder, 46, told the launch event that he expects to churn out 500,000 Model 3s a year
The new Tesla models are a far cry from early electric vehicles which have been criticized as cumbersome, slow and expensive gimmicks reserved for the super-rich.
Their popularity in the UK has also been stifled by a lack of public charging points.
There are just 11,000 in the UK, of which only 800 offer fast charging – effectively ruling out long journeys in electric-only cars.
However the Government is introducing legislation which will soon require all petrol stations and motorway services to install electric charge points.
It has previously announced that £35million will be spent on charge points on streets and in workplaces.
Earlier this month, Volvo announced that all of its new models will be either fully electric or hybrid.
The RAC Foundation said it could be ‘the spark which turns modern motors electric.’
Figures have revealed a 15 per cent drop in UK sales of diesels after stark warnings about pollution and costly levies.